Stapling machine or tacker



1,687,871 A. H. MAYNARD STAPLING MACHINE OR TACKEPR Filed Dec. 4, 1926 2 `Sheets-Shea?. 1

Oct. 16, 1928.

Oct. 16, 1928. 1,687,871

A. H. MAYNARD STAPLING MACHINE OR TACKER Filed Dec. 4, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Paentea oa. 16,1928.

UNITED lSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR E. HAYNARD, OF WARWICK, RHO'DE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO BOSTON WIRE STITCHEB COMPANY, OF PORTLAND,

MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

STAPLING MACHINE OB TACKEB.

Application led December 4, 1926. Serial No. 152,808.

This invention relates to stapling-machines or tackers of the hammer type for feeding and driving wire staples, tacks, brads, or other fasteners in attaching tags or labels to crates and boxes or for other like purposes.

The invention is similar in general to the machine disclosed in my prior a plication for U. S. Letters Patent, Serial o. 46,149, filed July 25, 1925, and consists particularly of improvements in the construction and methodof operation of the device.

One object of the improvement is to simplify the structure of the machine by reducing the number ofv parts constituting its operating mechanism.

Another object of the improvement is Vto render the machine more economical to manufacture by constructing its mechanism of sheet-metal stampings or punchings and eliminating screws, bolts, nuts and like elements.

Another object of the improvement is to provide a machine of fthe type specified in which the mechanism may be assembled or disassembled without the use of tools.

Further objects of the im rovement are I set forth in the following specification which describes a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevationof the improved staple-machine or tacker;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the same showing the parts of the machine in position to receive the staples;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front end view of the device;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan View of the forward or hammer end o f the device;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective View of 40 the staple-core of the machine on which the staples are held to be fed forward to the stapling-mechanism;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the rearward end of the machine, taken on 45 the line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the forward end of the machine taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 1, looking toward the gate at the front of the staple-core; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the staple-holding gate.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the embodiment of the invention as herein illustrated comprises an elon ated hollow handle 2, preferably constructe of sheetmetal, and of inverted trough-shapein crosssection. At the forward end of the `handle 2 is a hollow rectangular hammer-head 3, also constructed of sheet-metal of somewhat greater thickness than that of the handle to provide the necessary strength and weight. The box-like head 3 is formed with rearwardly extending side winfrs 4 overlying or straddling the sides of the handle 2 and welded or otherwise fastened thereto to unite the head and handle in a substantially integral structure.

The hammer-head 3 carries a relatively flat blade or staple-driver 5 for driving the staples into the work which is held in abutting relation with the front wall 6 of the head by means of an improved fastening device .as next described. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3,the

driver-blade 5 is somewhat narrower than the hammer-head 3 and is held against the front wall 6 thereof with its upper edge abuttin 'the under side of the top of the head.

jection 10 is inserted through a hole 9 at the top of the blade 5 and pro'ects through an opening in the forward wall 6 of the head. A helical spring 11 is coiled around the bar 8 with its forward end engaging slots 12 in the top and bottom thereof, see Flg. 2, to anchor the spring'thereto. The rearward end of the spring 11 bears against the wall 7 of-the head 3 to exert a longitudinal thrust on the bar 8 whereby to maintain its projection 10 in engagement with the hole 9 in the driver-blade 5 and projected through the hole in the front wall 6. In this way the driver-blade 5 is held pressed against the inner face of the front wall 6 of the hammer-head 3by the shouldered portion of the key or bar 8.

It has been stated that the upper end of the blade 5 bears against the under side of the top of the head 3 and it will thus be seen that the thrust of the blade is taken directly on the hammer-head rather than by the bar 8. The rearward end of the bar 8 is preferably knurled at 14 whereby it may be grasped in the fingers to withdraw it against the action of its spring 11 when it is desired to release for holding a supply of staples or other fasthe blade 5. Throu h this arrangement the driver-blade 5 may quickly and conveniently removed from the machine for repair or replacement without requiring the use of a. wrench or screw-driver. f

Enclosed within the sides of the handle 2 is a Y longitudinally-extending staple-core or trackway 15 adapted to serve as a magazine teners. The rearward end of the staple-core 15 is pivoted between the sides of a yokemember 16 held in the end of the handle 2, see Figs. 2 and 6. It is to be noted that the under side of the handle 2 is cut away along substantially its whole length to permit the core 15 to swing up and down within the sides thereof, but at its rearward end the handle is closed at the bottom by a strip 18. The base 19 of the yoke-member 16 is seated on the bottom-strip 18 with its forward end bent downwardly to overlap the edge thereof. The base 19 is provided with a. lug or proj jection 20 on its under side which is formed by punching out the stock as shown most clearl in Fig. 6. The projection 20 engages in a ole 21 in the bottom-strip 18 of the handle 2 to hold the yoke-member 16 in place at the end thereof. The yoke-member 16 is held pressed down against the bottom-strip 18 ofthe handle 2 by the rearward arm 24 of a flat spring 25. The spring 25 is held within the sides of the handle 2 with its central portion bearing against the top thereof. The end of the arm 24 of the spring 25 is notched to provide laterally projecting lugs 29 itted to slots 26 in the sides of the yokemember 16 as Shown in Figs. 2 and 6. The spring 25 has a forwardly extending arm 27 which reaches downward to act against the front end of the core 15 to normally maintain the latter depressed below the hammerhead 3 in the manner and for the purpose as later more fully explained.

The rearward end of the core 15 is pivoted on a cross-pin 28 eXtendincr through holes in the sides of the yoke-member 16, see Fig. 6. The yoke-member 16 may be raised slight-ly against the pressure of the arm 24 of the spring 25 to disengage the stud 20 from the hole in the bottom-strip 18 so that it can be withdrawn lfrom within the sides of the handle 2. After the yoke-member 16 has been withdrawn from the handle 2 in this manner the pin 28 may be removed to disconnect the core 15. It will thus be seen that these last described elements may be assembled in cooperative relation without the use of tools, the novel form of connections provided also ermitting the mechanism to be disassembled or repair or replacement of its parts. The staple-core 15 on which the staples s are held and along which they feed to the staple-driver 5 is of improved construction as next described. It comprises essentially a rectangular bar across which the staples are straddled and an overl ing guard 30 for hold; ing the .staples in pliice thereon. Heretofore these two elements have usually been constructed as separate pieces and welded,

riveted or otherwise fastened together in cooperative relation. In the present improved device the staple-core 15 and its guard 30 are made integral in a single strip of sheet-metal which is fol-ded or bent into the required shape by a forming or rolling operation. Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, the staple-core 15 as here shown consists of an inverted troughshaped sheet-metal strip having parallel Sides 31 and a top portion 32. The metal is continued upwardly from one of the sides 31 in a strip 33 folded to stand in spaced relation thereto and then bent across to form the guard-strip 3() overlying the top 32 of the -core in spaced relation therewith. The staples s, shown in Fig. 1, straddle the sides of the core 15 and slide in the space'between the core and the side strip 33 and top-strip 30 which latter provides the guard for preventing the staples from riding up or becoming displaced on the core. v

The staples s are fed along the core 15 by means of a sliding staple-pusher 35 which is urged forward by means of a coiled spring 36, as is the usual arrangement in devices of the present type. As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the top of the staplelco're 15 is cut away at 37 to provide a shoulder or notch 38 with which the forward end of the pusher 35 engages when it is drawn back to rearward position to compress the spring 36. The notch 38 thus holds the pusher in retracted position as illustrated in Fig. 2 to permit the staples to be placed on the forward end of the core 15. The pusher 35 is rocked manlun ually to release it from the notch 38 after the core 15 has been loaded with staples, whereupon the spring 36 will slide it forward to cause it to act against the rearmost staple in the series as illustrated in Fig. 1.

At the forward end of the staple-core 15 is a metal block 40 of rectangular shape fitted within the sides of the core as shown in Figs. 2 and 5 and welded or otherwise suitably fastened thereto. The block 40 has a depending lug or rest 41 projecting outwardly slightly beyond -the sides of the core 15 and providing a striker for impact against the surface into which the staples are to be driven.

At the forward end of the staple-guard 30 is an upstanding lip or abutment 43 against are bent upwardly at the sides thereof and provided with holes 45 for a pivot-pin 46. Straddling the sides of the ears 44 is a yokeshaped latch-member 47 constructed of sheetmetal with its opposite sides pivoted on the pivot-pin 46. Pivoted to the forward end of the latch-member 47 is a gate 50 adapted to be closed down into vertical position lwith its outer wall standing parallel with and spaced at a distance from the forward end of the staple-core 15. The gate 50, shown in detail in Fig. 8, has ears 51 disposedy within the sides'of theflatch 47 and adapted to receive a hinge pin 52 inserted through holes therein. The gate is of box-like shape, being preferably constructed of sheet-metal and formed with portions 53 foldedinwardly 'at the bottom of its sides to provide a crossstrip 54. Vhen the latch-member 47 is depressed vand the gate 50 is rocked downwardly as shown in Fig. 2 its bottom-strip 54 is adapted to slide over and latch behind the lug or striker 41 to lock the gate in closed relation. Thevate 50 may be unlocked by rocking the latch-member 47 downwardly to release the strip 54 from in back of the lug 41.

The latch 47 is normally held in raised position, as shown in Fig. 1, under the tension ofthe forward arm 27 of the spring 25. For this purpose the latch 47 is provided with a rearwardly extending tail-piece 55 engaging beneath the forward bent end of the arm 27 of the spring 25.` It will be noted by reference to Fig. 2 that the tail-piece 55 on the la-tch 47 projects rearwardly across the top of la pair of lugs 56 which are formed integral with and bent inwardly from the sides of the hammer-head 3. The tail-piece 55 onA the latch 47 thereby serves as a stopV to normally hold the core 15 in certain predetermined relation with respect to the handle 2. It is further to be noted that the forward arm 27 of the spring 25, besides serving as the means for holding the latch 47 in position with the gate 50 locked, also acts as the resilient compression element to Amaintain the core 15 normally depressed-beneath the hammer-head 3. When a blow is struck with the device the striker 41 impinges against the surface into which the staples are to be driven, thereb causing the hammer-head 3 to be carrie downwardly under momentum to slide the staple-driver 5 across the end of the staple-core 15 to drive the staples into the work in the manner as hereinafter more fully ex lained.

, o prepare the device for operation the staple-pusher 35 is drawn back against the pressure ofthe spring 36 and latched in the notch 38 on the core 15 as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The gate 50 at the front end of the staple-core 15 is then opened by drawing `it downwardly to release its crossstrip 54 from in back of the lug 41, the latchmember 47 being rocked downwardly for this staple-core 15-to load the magazine as shown in' Fig. 1. After the magazine has been lloaded with a supply of staples thekgate 50 is closed down into position at the front of the staple-core 15 and locked in place in the manner as previously explained.

The staple-pusher 35 1s then released from its notch 38 so that it may slide forward under the tension of the spring 36 to engage the rearmost staple in the series. The pressure of the pusher will thus feed thestaples s forward until the foremost one brings up against the front wall of the gate 50 where it is frictionally held in position in advance of the end of the staple-core 15.

The operator grasps the handle 2 of the device adjacent its rearward end and to apply a staple to the work strikes a sharp blow with its hammer end, the lug or striker 41 being caused to impact against the surface into which the staple is to be driven. Under this action the impact of the blow causes the staple-driver 5 to be slid across the end of the staple-core 15 with a quick action, the

spring arm 27 yielding to permit relative movement between the hammer-head 3 and the staple-core 15 under the force o f momentum. As the staple-driver is reciprocated across the end of the staple-core 15 it will impinge upon the top of the forward staple frictionally held by the gate 50 and will drive the staple downwardly into the work. As the force of the blow is expended and the hammer-head withdrawn the spring-arm 27 will act to once more depress the staple-core 15 beneath the head 3 whereby the stapledriver 5 is withdrawn above the end of the staple-core. At this juncture the staple pusher 35 will function under the force of the spring 36 to feed the series of staples forward on the core 15 to deliver the foremost one into position beneath thev driver 5 so that the machine is repared for the next operation. The stapling-machine or tacker may thus be operated continually in the manner 'as aboveV explained to feed and drive the staples as long as a supply thereof remains in the magazine.

It will be observed that the presentimprovement provides a. articularly sim le and eicient device for t e purpose speci ed and one which has a minimum number of parts in its operating-mechanism. Moreover, practically all of the parts are constructed of sheetmetal to render the whole device economical to manufacture; and the connections between the elements are designed to permit of convenient assembling or disassembling of the whole machinewithout the use of a wrench,

screw-driver or other tool.

While the invention is herein illustrated and described in its preferred embodiment it is to be understood that modifications may be made in the structure and arrangement of the parts of the device without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims. Therefore, without limitation in this respect, I claim:

l. Astapling-machine or tacker comprising a hollow sheet-metal handle, aI hollow sheetinetal hammer-head at one end of the handle, a hollow sheet-metal staple-core pivoted to the opposite end of the handle and extending beneath the hammer-head, a staple-driver carried by the hammer-head to adapt it to reciprocate across the end of the staple-core, and means to feed the staples along the core to deliver them successively into position to be acted upon by the driver.

2. A stapling-machine or tacker comprising a hollow channel-shaped handle, a sheetmetal hammer-head formed with lateral wings straddling the sides of the handle and secured thereto, a staple-core pivoted to the opposite end of the handle and extending beneath the hammer-head, a staple-driver carried by the hammer-head to adapt it to reciprocate across the end of the staple-core, and means to feed the staples along the core to deliver them successively beneath the driver.

3. A stapling-machine or tacker comprising a channel-shaped sheet-metal handle, a hollow hammer-head also constructed of sheetmetal and having portions secured to the sides of the handle, a staple-core pivoted at the rearward end of the handle and extending forwarlly beneath the hammer-head, a stapledriver carried by the hammer-head to be reciprocated across the end of the staple-core, and means for feeding the staples along the core to deliver them successively into position to be acted upon by the driver.

4. A stapling-machine or tacker comprising a hollow sheet-metal handle, a hollow sheet-metal hammer-head at the forward end of the handle, a staple-core pivoted at its rearward end within the sides of the handle and extending forwardly beneath the hammerhead, a staple-driver carried by the hammerhead to adapt it to reciprocate across the endl of the staple-core, a spring held against. the upper wall of the handle and extending forwardly to act on the staple-core to normally hold it depressed beneath the hammer-head, and means for` feeding the staples along the core to deliver them successively into position to be acted upon by the driver.,

5. In a device of the type specified the combination of a handle, a hollow hammer-head at one end of the handle, a staple-driver comprising a blade held within the hammer-head abutting the forward wall thereof with its upper edge engaging against the top wall of the hammer-head, and means for holding the blade in place in the hammer-head.

6. In a device of the type specified the combination of a handle having a hollow hammer-head, a staple-driver inserted within the head abut-ting the forward wall thereof, and means for retaining the blade in place in the hammer-head comprising a key inserted through the rearward wall of the hammerhead and provided with a projection engaging holes in the blade and the front wall of the hammer-head. I

7. In a device of the type specified the combination of a handle, a hollow hammer-head at the end of the handle, a driver-blade arranged within the hammer-head abutting the forward wall thereof, a key slidable through the rearward wall of the hammer-headk and formedwith a projection engaging a hole in the driver-blade and4 extending through the forward wall of the hammer-head, and resilient means for holding the key in engagement with the blade while adapting it to be withdrawn to release the blade.

8. In a device of the type specied the combination of a handle, a hollow hammer-head at the end of the handle, a driver-blade arranged within the hammer-head abutting :its

forward wall, a key slidable through the rearward wall of the hammer-head and formed with a projection engaging a hole in the driver-blade and projecting through the forward wall of the hammer-head, and a spring within the hammer-head actin on the key to maintain it in engagement with the blade while permitting it to be withdrawn to release the blade.

9. In a device of the type specified the combination of a channel-shaped handle having a bottom wall in its rearward end, a hammerhead at the forward end of the handle, a yokemember seated on the bottom wall of the handle and having a projection engaging an opening therein, a staple-core ivoted to the l yoke-member and extending orwardly beneath the hammer-head, a staple-driver carried by the hammer-head to adapt it to reciprocate across the forward end of the staplecore, and a spring held within the sides of the handle with its rearward endbearing against the yoke-member to hold it in place and its forward end acting against the staplecore to maintain the latter depressed beneath the hammer-head.

, 10. In a device of the type specified the combination of a hollow handle open along its under side but having a bottom wall at its rearward end, a hammer-head carried at the forward end of the handle, a member seated against the bottom wall at the rearward end of the handle, a staple-core pivoted to said member and extending forwardly beneath the hammer-head, a staple-driver carried by the hammer-head to adapt it to reciprocate across the forward end of the staple-core, and a flat spring held against the under side of the top wall of the handle and having an arm engaging the bearing-member to hold it in place in the handle and also having a second arm reaching forwardly to act on the staplecore to maintain it normally depressed beneath the hammer-head. y l

1l. In a device of the type specified the combination of a handle, a hammer-head'at one end of the handle, a staple-core pivoted to the opposite end of the handle, a stapledriver carried by the hammer-head to adapt it to reciprocate across the forward end 'of the staple-core, a lu ber pivoted above the forward end of the staple-core, a gate hinged to said rockable,` member and provided with means adapted tol latch behind the lug on the staple-core -to lock the gate in position at the vfrontof thecore, and resilient means acting on the froc'k'- able member to maintain the gate loclred in' f closed relation.

l the forward end of the handle, al staple-core pivoted to the rearward end of the handle and like gate hinged to said member to adapt it extending forwardly' beneath the hammerhead, a staple-driver carried by the hammerheadto adapt it to reciprocate across the'end of the'v staple-core, a member pivoted above the forward end of the staple-core, a boxto close into position with its forward wall in parallel spaced relation with the end of the depending from the i under side of the stap e-core, a rockable memstaple-core, means on the gate for holding it in' closed relation with respect to the core,

combination 'of a handle, a hammer-head at the forward end of the handle, a staple-core pivoted to the rearward end of the handle and extending forwardly beneath the hammer-head, a staple-driver carried by the hammer-head to adapt it to reciprocate across the forward end of the staple-core, a latchvmember pivoted above the forward end of the staple-,core and provided with a rearwardly extending'tail-piece, lugs projecting inwardly from the sides of the hammer-head beneath t-he tail-piece on the latch-member, a'box-likegate hinged to the latch-member to adapt it to close into position enclosing the forward end of the staple-core, means at the bottom of the gate for l'atching it beneath -the bottom of the core, and a spring acting on the tail-piece of the latch-member to maintain the gate latched in closed position.

y14. A stapling-machine or tacker comprising a hollow sheet-metal handle, a hollow sheet-metal hammer-head at one end of the handle, a staple-core pivoted to the opposite nally thereof beneath the hammer-head, a staple-driver carried by the hammer-head to .adapted it to reciprocate across the end of ARTHUR H. MAYNARD. 

